More than 10 years since former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot, Gabby is still recovering. Her aphasia makes it difficult for her to speak, but still she uses her voice.
She credits much of her recovery to returning to the French horn, an instrument she began playing in fourth grade and continued to play through college. About three years into her recovery, she met and began working with a French horn instructor in Germany, who was very patient with her, and like any good teacher, pushed Gabby to practice.
In August 2020, Gifford said this is a speech at the DNC: Confronted by despair, I’ve summoned hope. Confronted by paralysis and aphasia, I responded with grit and determination. I put one foot in front of another. I found one word, and then I found another. My recovery is a daily fight, but fighting makes me stronger. Words once came easily, but today I struggle to speak. But I have not lost my voice.
Gabby says: Playing the French horn has even helped me regain some of my ability to speak. Without musical intonation practice, I wouldn’t be able to deliver many of the speeches I give.